Prayer   In   Bible  and 
Talmud, 


NAHIDA     REMY. 


TRANSLATED  FROM  THE  GERMAN 
By  HENRY  COHEN, 

RABBI  OF  CONG.  B'NAI  ISRAEL,  GALVESTON,  TEXAS. 


Authorized  Translation,  Emit  Apolant,  Berlin. 


SECOND  EDITION— Revised. 


NEW  YORK. 

Bloch  Publishing  Co. 

1910 


Copyright  1894  and  1910 
By  Henry  Cohen. 


®o  tit?  iHrmory  of  mu  Sear  $amtK 

WHOSE     PIOUS     TEACHINGS     IMBUED     ME 

WITH     LOVE     FOR     BIBLE     AND 

TALMUD,     THIS     VOLUME 

IS   AFFECTIONATELY 

DEDICATED. 


TRANSLATOR'S  NOTE. 


The  following  pages,  with  but  few  alterations,  were  written 
by  Frau  Nahida  Remy,  a  Christian,  who  has  made  a  study  of. 
Judaism,  even  to  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  Hebrew  language. 
She  is  also  the  author  of  "  Culturstudien  liber  das  Judenthum" 
(which  has  now  absorbed  the  present  work)  and  "Das  J'udische 
Weib."  In  both  productions  the  greatest  sympathy  with  our 
people  is  shown.  I  consider  that  we  are  under  an  everlasting 
obligation  to  this  noble-minded  woman.  Since  reading  the 
original,  I  have  been  anxious  that  "Das  Gebet  in  Bibel  and 
Talmud"  should  circulate  among  the  English-speaking  public. 
Hence  my  translation. 

Henry  Cohen. 

Galveston,  Texas, 
February,  1894— Adar,  5654. 


NOTE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION. 
In  1895   Frau   Nahida  Remy  adopted  the  Jewish    faith    and 
became   the   wife   of   the  renowned    Prof.   Moritz    Lazarus.     As 
Nahida  Ruth  Lazarus— she  wrote  "Ich  Suchte  Dich,"  (1898)  an 
autobiography  of  peculiar  interest  to  Jews. 


H.  C. 


Galveston,  Texas. 
September,  1910— Ellul  5670. 


PRAYER  IN  BIBLE  AND  TALMUD 


I. — Prayer  in  the  Bible. 

From  the  many  of  my  co-religionists  of  whom  I  have 
asked,  "Have  you  a  recollection  of  any  prayer  in  the 
Bible?"  the  answer  was,  invariably,  "No."  I  even 
met  with  the  counter-question,  "Are  there  any  prayers 
in  the  Bible?" 

Most  people  think,  "How  strange,  nowadays,  to  occupy 
one's  self  with  the  Bible!"  It  is  not  strange.  Whoever 
is  conversant  with  Scripture,  and  knows  its  beauties,  daily 
discovers  new  charms  therein. 

All  great  thinkers  and  poets  have  drawn  inspiration 
therefrom.  Goethe  found  in  Job,  Schiller,  in  the  Proverbs 
of  Solomon,  the  most  profound  stimulus;  and  who  knows 
to  what  extent  the  savants  of  other  nations  are  indebted 
to  it?  In  the  fact  that  nearly  every  family  possesses  a 
Bible,  and  scarcely  any  knows  its  contents,  is  hidden  a 
problem  of  great  bearing.  It  would  indeed  be  an  honor- 
able life-task  to  solve  this  problem  satisfactorily. 

But  now  to  our  theme.  Strictly  speaking,  the  Bible 
contains  but  one  prescribed  prayer. 

In  the  laws  concerning  the  first  fruit  of  the  earth 
(Deuteronomy  xxvi.)  we  find  the  command  (verse  2): 
"Thou  shalt  take  of  the  first  fruits  ...  (3)  And 
thou  shalt  come  unto  the  priest  ...  (5)  And  thou 
shalt  commence,  and  say,"  etc.  Then  follow  verses  6-14, 
which  form  an  introduction  and  a  historic  review.  After 
the  words,  "  I  have  done  all,  just  as  thou  hast  commanded 
me"  (14),  comes  the  actual  entreaty  and  prayer:  "O, 
look  down  from  the  habitation  of  thy  holiness,  from 
the  heavens,  and  bless  thy  people  Israel,  and  the  soil  which 
thou  hast  given  us,  as  Thou  hast  sworn  unto  our  fore- 
fathers, a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey. 

This  is  the  only  prescribed  prayer  for  the  people  in 
general.     And  for  what  does  the  petitioner  pray?     For 


6 

whom  does  he  pray?  Is  it  for  himself?  For  his  house? 
No!  For  the  people  and  for  the  country;  that  God  may 
bless  them,  and  also  the  land.  Even  here  the  elementary 
thought  of  Jewish  prayer  is  clearly  and  plainly  expressed. 
As  soon  as  man  stands  before  God,  his  supplication  shall 
embrace  humanity.  He  shall  not  pray  for  himself  alone 
but  he  shall  be  united  in  love  with  the  whole  world. 
Everything  in  the  chapter  but  the  invocation  quoted 
above,  is  precept  and  command. 

The  most  important  prayer  of  the  Jews,  the  Sh'ma,  is 
also  composed  of  precept  and  command;  but,  as  this  is  a 
rabbinical  arrangement,  I  shall  allude  to  it  in  speaking 
of  the  Talmudic  prayers.  So  much  may  be  said  now  for 
the  benefit  of  my  non-Jewish  readers :  Sh'ma  means  "  Hear ! ' ' 
Sh'ma  Yisroel,  "Hear,  O  Israel!"  Thus  commences  the 
holiest  prayer  of  the  Israelites.  Those  two  words  form 
a  sign  of  recognition  between  one  Israelite  and  another. 
If  two  Jews  from  any  part  of  the  world  meet  on  the  road — 
whether  or  not  they  speak  a  common  language — the  men- 
tion of  the  Sh'ma  Yisroel  will  cause  their  eyes  to  light  up 
with  love  for  the  "Only  One,"  their  Father,  and  thus 
they  are  made  brethren. 

From  this  fact  orignated  Ludwig  August  Frankl's  poem, 
"Tourist  und  Cicerone."  A  guide,  conducting  a  tourist 
through  Rome,  came  to  the  Arch  of  Titus,  erected  to  com- 
memorate the  conquest  of  Jerusalem.     The  cicerone  says: 

"Good  sir,  thou  didst  me  order 
To  lead  thee  through  this  border, 

To  view  this  very  place; 
But  through  this  archway  Roman 
With  free  will  passeth  no  man 
Of  all  my  suffering  race. 

"See!  with  its  decoration, 
This  arch  derides  my  nation, 

By  Titus  scourged  and  slain ! 
It  pictures  his  achievements, 
And  all  of  our  bereavements; 

Its  sight  fills  me  with  pain. 


"Then,  sir,  do  not  command  me, 
[ndeed,  I  would  withstand  thee, 

The  custom  I'll  not  break! 
Alone  go  through  the  gateway, 
While  I  around  and  straightway 

Will  meet  thee,"  thus  he  spake. 

"My  faithful  guide,  know,  tin 
Is  parallel  with  my  way," 
I  forthwith  made  remark : 
"I  hate  the  chariots  gory, 
But  love  Judea's  glory — 
The  Candlestick  and  Ark." 

Whereat  he  gazed  in  wonder 
Upon  my  face, — and  under 

His  eyelids  teardrops  stole, 
He  touched  my  hand  then  quickly, 
Half  doubtfully,  half  meekly, 

And  said,  "Sh'ma  Yisroel!"* 

Of  course,  my  tears  descended, 
While  I  the  greeting  ended, 

"  Adonoi  Echod!"* 
Around  the  archway  turning, 
The  past  within  us  burning — 

"Jehovah  is  our  God." 

The  Bible,  however,  contains  many  general  supplica- 
tions, and  individual  prayers.  The  best  known  are  prayers 
of  Moses,  Hannah,  David,  and  Solomon,  also  those  of 
Hezekiah.  Those  of  Daniel,  Ezra,  Nehemiah,  and  Jere- 
miah, are  less  known.  The  invocations  of  the  poet 
Habakkuk  (who  gave  voice  to  that  matchless  phrase:  "  In 
wrath  remember  mercy.  "  (Hab.  iii.  2) ,  of  the  very  human 
Jonah,  of  the  patient  Job,  of  the  all-righteous  Amos,  not 
to  specify  others,  I  cannot  even  briefly  mention. 

The  first  prayer  in  the  Holy  Bible  emanates  from 
Abraham,  and  refers  to  his  and  Hagar's  son  (Gen.  xvii. 
18).  "0  that  Ishmael  might  live  before  thee:"  Here 
for  the  first  time,  we  have  an  expression  of  fatherly  love. 

rnal  is  our  God,  the  Eternal  is  One— the  Jewish  declara- 
tion of  Faith.  (Deut.  6,  4).  The  first  and  last  words  of  the  sentence  are  here 
expressed. 


The  second  prayer — one  of  the  most  touching  of  the  whole 
Bible— is  also  spoken  by  Abraham.  Sublime  ingenuity 
of  the  Bible,  that  makes  men  so  self-confident  as  to  con- 
verse with  God  as  with  their  equal! 

I  cannot  refrain  from  sketching  Abraham's  intercession 
with  his  Creator.  When  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  were 
threatened  with  destruction,  the  "father  of  the  faithful" 
addressed  to  God  the  astounding  inquiry:  "Wilt  thou 
then  destroy  the  righteous  with  the  wicked?  Peradven- 
ture  there  are  fifty  righteous  within  the  city;  wilt  thou 
then  also  destroy  and  not  spare  the  place  for  the  sake  of 
the  fifty  righteous  that  are  therein?  Far  be  it  from  thee 
to  do  after  this  manner,  to  slay  the  righteous  with  the 
wicked"  (Gen.  xviii.  23,24,25).  "Far  be  it  from  thee!"— 
what  an  incomparable  expression.  Who  dares  to  remind 
God — the  Essence  of  Justice — "that  the  Judge  of  all  the 
earth  shall  exercise  justice!" 

God  considered  this,  and  would  have  pardoned  Sodom 
on  account  of  the  fifty  righteous  therein,  but  Abraham 
again  asked  in  all  humility:  " Peradventure  there  will 
lack  five  of  the  fifty;  wilt  thou  then  destroy  the  city  on 
account  of  these  five?"  (verse  28).  And  as  God  showed 
Himself  gracious,  Abraham  continued  with  renewed  fer- 
vor: "Peradventure  there  are  only  forty — thirty — twenty 
— ten,  .  .  ."  until  God  promised  him  that  he  would 
spare  Sodom,  if  only  ten  righteous  could  be  found  therein. 

The  Bible  then  says:  "And  the  Lord  went  away,"  as 
if  to  express  that  He  was  not  equal  to  Abraham's  merciful 
persuasion.  It  is  noteworthy  that  this  episode  serves  but 
to  show  one  of  Abraham's  characteristics,  inasmuch  as 
his  solicitation  had  no  practical  success,  for  there  could 
not  be  found  even  ten  righteous  in  the  city,  and  Sodom 
was  destroyed. 

In  using  the  word  "  characteristic  "  it  must  not  be  under- 
stood that  the  Holy  Scripture  professes  to  portray  a  marked 
feature  in  the  character  of  its  heroes.  The  idea  is,  to 
convey  to  men  a  moral  and  ethical  precept.     In  this  case, 


9 

for  instance,  we  learn  that  in  the  interests  of  Justice,  the 
righteous  should  not  be  punished  with  the  wicked,  and 
that  even  the  wicked  should  be  treated  with  clemency. 

A  very  fine  trait,  true  to  nature  at  its  best  under  the 
circumstances,  is  shown  in  the  next  two  short  prayers 
in  the  Bible;  in  the  entreaty  of  Eliezer  to  God,  as  he  wan- 
dered forth  to  win  a  bride  for  the  son  of  his  master  (Gen. 
xxiv.),  and  in  Jacob's  petition  when  he  heard  that  Esau 
was  coming  to  meet  him  (xxxii.).  Both  invocations  were 
rendered  in  a  few  words,  but  what  a  dramatic  contrast  in 
situation,  color,  tone,  and  general  surroundings!  With 
what  circumspection,  I  would  almost  say,  with  what  self- 
confidence,  docs  Eliezer  say  to  God:  "And  let  it  come  to 
pass  that  the  maiden  to  whom  I  shall  say:  Let  down  thy 
pitcher,  I  pray  thee,  that  I  may  drink;'  and  she  shall  say: 
'Drink,  and  to  thy  camels  also  will  I  give  drink,'  be  the 
one  that  thou  hast  appointed  for  thy  servant  Isaac" 
(verse     1 4) . 

Entirely  different  is  the  disquietude  of  Jacob,  conscious 
of  his  former  infidelity  to  his  brother:  "O  God  of  my 
father  Abraham,  and  God  of  my  father  Isaac,"  he  cries, 
"Deliver  me,  I  pray  thee,  from  the  hand  of  my  brother, 
from  the  hand  of  Esau,  for  I  fear  him!"  (versel2).  With 
Eliezer,  it  is  simply  the  knowledge  of  complying  with  his 
duty,  albeit  performed  according  to  the  circumscribed 
mode  of  thought  peculiar  to  a  servant  of  those  days, 
that  made  him  require  a  sign ;  with  Jacob,  it  was  the  con- 
fusion of  a  smitten  conscience,  but  also  the  assurance  of 
a  son  clinging  to  the  breast  of  a  father. 

The  humble  rejoinder  of  Moses  (Exodus  iv.),  when  God 
commands  him  to  return  to  Egypt,  and  to  plead  before 
Pharaoh  for  the  liberation  of  his  brethren,  cannot  be  at 
all  compared  with  his  celebrated  "Song  of  Triumph," 
after  crossing  the  Red  Sea.  "  I  will  sing  unto  the  Eternal, 
for  he  hath  triumphed  gloriously!"  (Exodus  xv.). 

But  here  also  there  are  only  two  verses,  containing 
actual  prayer:     "Let  fear  and  dread  fall  upon  them  (the 


10 

enemies).  By  the  greatness  of  thine  arm,  let  them  be  still 
as  a  stone  till  thy  people  pass  over,  O  Lord,  till  this  people, 
which  thou  hast  purchased,  pass  over"  (verse  16). 

Moses  repeatedly  found  occasion,  by  reason  of  the  stub- 
bornness of  the  people,  to  pray  to  God.  But  actual 
prayer  occurs  only,  when  he,  even  as  Abraham,  implored 
the  Eternal  in  behalf  of  a  stiff-necked  people,  in  the  mo- 
ment of  God's  anger.  "Why,  Eternal,  shall  thy  wrath 
wax  hot  against  thy  people  that  thou  hast  brought  forth 
out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  with  a  great  power,  and  with  a 
mighty  hand?  ....  Turn  from  thy  fierce  wrath, 
and  repent  thee  of  the  evil  decreed  against  thy  people" 
(Exodus  xxxii).  Moses  reminds  God  of  the  promise  to 
his  forefathers — and,  as  the  Bible  says,  "the  Eternal 
bethought  himself  of  the  evil  which  he  had  spoken  to  do 
unto  his  people"  verse  (14). 

A  remarkable  contrast  is  shown,  when  Moses,  returning 
from  Mount  Sinai,  finds  this  very  people,  for  whom  he 
has  been  imploring  grace,  and  to  whom  he  now  brings 
the  tablets  of  the  law  (the  Ten  Commandments),  again 
rebellious.  He  angrily  breaks  the  tables  of  stone.  But 
the  next  day,  consequent  upon  the  terrible  punishment 
visited  on  the  people,  he  fervently  prays  to  the  Lord: 
"Pardon  this  people!  But  if  thou  will  not  pardon  their 
sin,  then  blot  me  out,  I  pray  thee,  from  thy  book,  which 
thou  hast  written"  (verse  32). 

Again  and  again  Moses  addresses  himself  imploringly 
to  God:  "Let  me  know  thy  way,  that  I  may  know  thee, 
in  order  that  I  may  find  grace  in  thine  eyes  (chapter  xxxiii. 
13)  .  .  .  .  and  if  thy  presence  go  not  with  us,  then 
carry  us  not  up  from  here!  (verse  15)  .  .  .  Walk 
in  our  midst,  O  Lord!  Pardon  our  sins,  forgive  us  our 
iniquities,  and  take  us  for  thine  heritage  "  (chap,  xxxiv.  9). 

When  the  children  of  Israel  set  forward  with  the  "Ark, " 
Moses  says:  "Rise  up,  Eternal,  and  let  thine  enemies  be 
scattered,  and  let  those  that  hate  thee  flee  before  thy  face!" 
.     .     .     When  the  Ark  rested,  he  prayed:  "Return,  O 


11 

Lord,  among  the  myriads  of  the  thousands  of  Israel" 
(Numbers  x.  35,  36). 

[It  is  a  sublime  fact,  that  even  to-day  these  two  sen- 
tences are  said  during  the  Jewish  service ;  the  first  when  the 
Sepher  Thora  is  taken  from  the  Holy  Ark,  the  second, 
when  it  is  returned.] 

The  law-giver  shows  himself  but  human,  and  conscious 
of  his  own  weakness,  when  he  exclaims:  "Wherefore  have 
I  not  found  grace  in  thy  sight,  O  Lord,  that  thou  layest 
the  burden  of  all  this  people  upon  me?"  (Numbers  xi.  n) 
.     .     .     "I  am  not  able  to  carry  this  people  alone,  too 

heavy  is  the  burden  for  me!"  (verse  14) 

"But  if  I  must  bear  it,  then  slay  me,  so  that  I  may  not 
see  my  wretchedness"  (verse  15)  .  .  .  "My  wretch- 
edness"— that  is  the  wretchedness  of  the  people,  of 
whom  this  great  man  feels  as  one. 

Later,  when  the  children  of  Israel  arc  despondent  and 
discouraged,  Moses,  never  fatigued,  again  prays  to  God, 
and  presents  to  him,  in  a  manner,  that  patience  is  a  divine 
duty  (Numbers  xiv.). 

He  concludes  his  invocation,  remarkable  in  many 
instances,  with  the  pacifying  expression:  "Pardon  the 
iniquity  of  this  people  according  to  the  magnitude  of  thy 
beneficence,  even  as  thou  hast  been  indulgent  to  them 
from  the  day  they  left  Mizrayim,  until  now"  (verse  19). 

Extraordinarily  singular  is  the  utterance  (verses  16,  17), 
used  also  in  a  modified  form  by  Daniel  (chapter  ix.  19). 
"Not  for  our  sake,  not  for  the  people's  sake,  but  for  thy 
sake,  Lor<  1 ,  extend  thy  mercy,  and  lead  thy  people,  as  thou 
hast  promised  into  the  land  which  thou  hast  sworn  to 
give  them,  so  that  thine  enemies  may  not  say:  That 
because  the  Lord  was  not  able  to  bring  this  people  into  the 
land  which  he  had  sworn  unto  them,  hath  he  slain  them 
in  the  wilderness.  .  .  .  "Let  justice  prevail,  be 
gracious,  so  that  thy  power  may  be  everywhere  seen,  and 
acknowledged '." 

We  see  how  old  the  desire  is  that  God  should  be  acknowl- 


12 

edged  by  others;  by  the  heathen,  and  even  by  the  enemy. 
Not  with  any  selfish  motive  did  the  law-giver  speak  as 
the  Scripture  portrays.  Moses  knew  that  he  would  not 
enter  the  Promised  Land — and  notwithstanding  the  guilt 
of  the  "stiff-necked  people,  "as  he  calls  Israel,  in  the  over- 
whelming passion  of  his  great  soul  he  looks  for  the  fulfil- 
ment of  God's  promise,  so  that  the  sun  of  God's  mercy 
may  shine  resplendently  over  the  earth. 

That  poetically  sublime  chapter,  generally  designated 
as  "Moses'  Prayer"  (Deut.  xxxii.),  is  an  address  to  the 
people,  not  to  God,  and  consequently  cannot  be  examined 
here. 

A  word  as  to  Psalm  xc,  also  called  "The  prayer  of 
Moses. "  The  several  parts  of  this  matchless  psalm  have 
become,  through  Luther,  Paul  Gerhardt  and  others,  so 
much  the  common  possession,  even  of  the  Christian  ser- 
vice, that  I  hardly  need  mention  its  beauty  and  mag- 
nificence. 

Before  we  finish  with  this  noble  character,  of  whom  the 
Bible  says:  "And  there  arose  not  a  prophet  since  in  Israel 
like  unto  Moses,  whom  the  Lord  knew  face  to  face" 
(Deut.  xxxiv.10),  it  will  serve  a  purpose  to  record  his 
prayer  on  behalf  of  his  sister,  when  she  was  stricken  with 
leprosy:  "O  Lord,  heal  her  now,  I  beseech  thee.',  (Num. 
xii.13).  The  Talmud  (Berachoth  34a)  tells  us  that  we 
may  deduce  from  the  wording  of  this  appeal  that  it  is  not 
necessary  to  mention  the  names  of  those  on  whose  behalf 
we  pray.     This  invocation  is  unique  in  every  way. 

Of  Moses'  successor,  Joshua,  (different  from  the  law- 
giver, who  was  meeker  than  any  man  on  the  face  of  the 
earth)  is  preserved  only  one  prayer, — a  wail  of  despair 
after  he  suffered  defeat  by  the  wall  of  Ai.  He  fell  on  his 
face,  rent  his  clothes,  and  cried  to  the  Eternal.  He,  also, 
finishes  his  entreaty  for  help  with  the  typical  question: 
"And  what  wilt  thou  do  for  thy  great  name?"  (Josh.vii. !)). 

Celebrated,  although  much  criticized,  is  the  remark- 
able introduction  to  Joshua's  invocation   to   the    Lord, 


13 

before  the  eyes  of  Israel:  "Sun,  stand  thou  still  upon  Gib- 
eon,  and  thou,  O  Moon,  in  the  valley  of  Ajalon"  (x.12). 
And  the  sun  and  the  moon  stood  still,  until  Joshua  and 
the  Israelites  completed  their  victory  at  Beth  Choron. 
This  report  loses  its  fable-like  impression,  if  one  recalls 
having  read  a  few  lines  before,  that  God  sent  a  great  hail- 
storm from  heaven.  It  is  likely  that  such  a  storm  had 
never  yet  been  seen;  this  taken  in  connection  with  the 
obscuration  of  the  sun  and  moon,  a  strong  after-imagi- 
nation may  have  invested  the  legend  with  all  appearance 
of   actuality. 

During  the  time  of  the  Judges  we  have  no  prayers,  with 
the  exception  of  Manoah's  short  petition;  as  Deborah's 
celebrated  song  is  a  triumphal  chant  occasioned  by  victory. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  Book  of  Samuel  begins  at  once 
with  an  appeal  by  Hannah,  the  childless,  of  the  most  soul- 
stirring  kind.  In  the  Temple  at  Shiloh  she  weeps  pas- 
sionately: "0  Lord  of  Hosts!  If  thou  wilt  indeed  look 
on  the  affliction  of  thy  handmaid,  and  remember  me, 
and  not  forget  thy  handmaid,  but  will  give  unto  me  a 
man-child,  then  will  I  give  him  unto  the  Lord  all  the  days 
of  his  life,  and  no  razor  shall  come  upon  his  head ! "  (I  Sam- 
uel i.  nth  v.)  The  high  priest  observes  her  and  thinks  she 
is  drunk,  "because  her  lips  moved,  but  her  voice  could  not 
be  heard"  (verse  13).  When  addressed  by  him,  she 
answers :  "  No,  my  Lord  ...  a  woman  of  a  heavy  heart 
am  I     .     .     .     Wine  and  strong  drink  have  I  not  drunk 

.     .     I  have  poured  out  my  soul  before  God!"     . 
(verse  15). 

Her  prayer  is  answered.  In  due  course  of  time  she  is 
given  a  son,  the  little  Samuel,— whom  she  makes  every 
year  a  colored  garment,  and  carries  it  to  him;  for  he  has 
been  dedicated,  according  to  her  promise,  to  the  service 
of  the  Temple  in  Shiloh.  The  exuberance  of  her  spirits- 
after  the  birth  of  the  child— causes  her  to  break  forth  in 
a  song  of  praise  (undoubtedly  composed  later;  perhaps 
during  the  time  of  the  Kings),  which. contains  several  pro- 


14 

found  conceptions  (Samuel  chap,  ii) .  These  were  borrowed 
by  the  New  Testament  writers,  and  are,  even  to-day, 
chosen  as  the  favorite  themes  of  all  Christian  moral 
teachers  and  preachers : 

"The  bow  of  the  mighty  is  broken,  and  those  that 
stumbled  are  girded  with  strength"  (verse  4). 

"The  Eternal  killeth  and  maketh  alive;  he  bringeth 
down  to  the  grave,  and  bringeth  up  "  (verse  6). 

"The  Eternal  maketh  poor  and  maketh  rich,  he  bringeth 
low,  and  also  lifteth  up"  (verse  7). 

"He  raiseth  up  out  of  the  dust  the  poor :  from  the  dung- 
hill he  lifteth  up  the  needy  to  set  them  among  nobles, 
and  he  assigneth  them  the  throne  of  glory!"   (verse  8). 

"He  ever  guardeth  the  feet  of  his  pious  ones,  but  the 
wicked  shall  be  ma  de  silent  in  darkness ;  for  not  by  strength 
can  man  prevail ! "  (verse  9) . 

In  the  same  manner,  David,  framing  his  first  prayer 
exclaims:  "He  delivered  me  from  mine  enemy,  the  strong, 
from  those  that  hated  me,  when  they  were  too  mighty  fo; 
me.  They  overcame  me  on  the  day  of  my  calamity,  bur 
the  Eternal  became  my  protection  "  (2  Samuel  xxii.  18, 19)t 

When  David  "had  peace  from  his  enemies,"  he  vows. 
to  build  a  he  use  to  the  Lord,  and  he  prays  for  God's  bene- 
diction upon  this  house.  The  solicitation  of  the  king  for 
his  people  is  grandly  expressed  in  a  short  orison,,  after  God 
had  visited  Israel  with  punishment:  "Was  it  not  I  that 
sinned?  But  these  sheep,  what  have  they  done?  O, 
Eternal,  my  God,  let  thy  hand,  I  pray  thee,  be  against  me, 
and  against  my  father's  house !  but  do  not  bring  misfortune 
against  thy  people!"  (2  Chron.  xxi.  17).  Once  only  does 
David  address  the  Almighty  in  his  own  behalf —  when  his 
and  Bathsheba's  child  of  sin,  is  dying.  The  king  prayed 
for  the  lad,  fasted,  and  lay  upon  the  floor  all  night.  To 
this  human  and  most  affecting  episode  we  arc  indebted 
for  a  characteristic  expression,  which  shows  the  old  Jewish 
belief  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul.  When  David  was 
told  that  the  child  was  dead,  what  did  he  do?  Did  he  give 
himself  up  to  despair?  No!  He  collected  himself,  rose 
up,  changed  his  clothes,  and  asked  for  meat  and  drink. 


15 

To  the  question  of  his  surprised  household,  he  simply 
answered:  "Can  I  then  bring  back  the  child?  I  may 
go  to  him — but  he  will  not  return  to  me"  (2  Samuel  xii.  23) . 

From  the  tone  of  David's  hymn  of  thanks  (2  Samuel 
xxii.),  flowing  in  powerful  rhythm  to  the  very  last  strain 
of  his  Hallelujah:  "Let  everything  that  hath  breath 
praise  the  Lord  "  (Psalm  cl.) ,  we  may  judge  that  the  praise 
of  the  Eternal  is  the  principal  theme  in  all  his  immortal 
psalms. 

Although  he  repeatedly  expresses  in  his  sacred  songs 
repentance  and  remorse — "  I  watch,  and  I  am  become  like 
a  night-bird  sitting  alone  upon  the  house-top"  (Psalm 
cii.  7) — although  he  again  and  again  confesses,  "Poor  and 
needy  am  I"  (Ps.  xl.  17),  "I  am  weary  of  my  calling, 
my  throat  is  hoarse"  (Psalm  lxix.  3)  .  .  .  .  "I  am 
bowed  down  to  the  utmost"  (Psalm  xxxviii.  7)  .  .  .  . 
the  joy  of  having  confidence  in  the  Eternal  is  more  clearly 
demonstrated  than  all  his  other  invocations.  That  the 
psalms  have  always  been  bodily  appropriated  for  the 
devotional  exercises  of  the  different  religious  denomina- 
tions there  is  no  need  to  specialize.  I  would  only  recall 
the  weighty  opinion  of  Luther:  "Where  can  one  find  more 
inspiring  words  of  joy  than  in  the  psalms,  praises  and 
hymns  of  thanksgiving?  From  their  standpoint,  one  can 
fathom  the  heart  of  the  righteous.  As  beautiful  flowers 
blossom  in  a  fair  garden,  so  do  beautiful  thoughts  of  God 
spring  from  the  words  of  the  psalmist.  Where  can  one 
find  deeper  and  more  solemn  meditations  than  are  com- 
prised in  the  penitential  psalms?  Here,  again,  one  may 
catch  a  glimpse  of  the  remorseful  soul,  and  it  is  as  if  he  were 
looking  at  death,  or,  perhaps,  upon  hell.  How  sombre  and 
gloomy  everything  seems  because  of  the  wrath  of  God! 
When  fear  and  hope  are  alluded  to,  no  painter  could  depict, 
no  orator  could  portray,  the  terror  of  the  one  or  the  sub- 
limity of" the  other." 

The  Bible  is  in  everybody's  hands.  Whoever  wishes 
to  obtain  a  true  picture  of  the  Jewish  spirit,  let  him  read 


16 

impartially  those  lines  in  which  are  set  forth  the  immortal 
characteristics  of  a  rock-like  confidence  in  God,  deep- 
seated  gratitude,  and  an  almost  passionate  devotion  to 
His  will,  three  principal  traits  of  the  children  of  Israel. 
Where  is  there  a  people  that  can  show  anything  like  it? 

The  Greeks  and  Romans,  the  Germans  and  Indians, 
fought  for  the  blood-stained  palm  of  victory,  for  the  crown 
of  honor,  for  the  wreath  of  love;  the  Israelite's  ornament 
is  his  belief  in  the  One  God,  his  watchword:  "Give  thanks 
unto  the  Lord,  for  he  is  good,  for  his  mercy  endureth  for- 
ever" (Psalm  cxxxvi.). 

Solomon's  prayer  at  the  consecration  of  the  Temple  is 
from  beginnirig  to  end,  so  lofty  in  its  simple  piety  that  it 
would  be  well  to  give  it  in  full  (1st  Book  of  Kings,  chap, 
viii.,   23-53): 

23.  And  he  [Solomon]  said:  O  Lord,  the  God  of  Israel,  there  is 
no  God  like  thee,  in  the  heavens  above,  and  on  the  earth  beneath, 
thou  who  keepest  the  covenant  and  the  kindness  for  thy  servants 
that  walk  before  thee  with  all  their  heart; 

24.  Who  has  kept  for  thy  servant  David,  my  father,  what  thou 
hadst  promised  him;  and  thou  spokest  with  thy  mouth,  and  hadst 
fulfilled  it  with  thy  hand,  as  it  is  this  day. 

25.  And  now,  O  Lord,  the  God  of  Israel,  keep  for  thy  servant 
David,  my  father,  what  thou  hast  spoken  concerning  him,  saying: 
There  shall  never  fail  thee  a  man  in  my  sight  who  sitteth  on  the 
throne  of  Israel;  if  thy  children  but  take  heed  to  their  way  to  walk 
before  me  as  thou  hast  walked  before  me. 

26.  And  now,  0  God  of  Israel,  I  pray  thee,  let  thy  word  be  veri- 
fied, which  thou  hast  spoken  unto  thy  servant  David,  my  father. 

27.  For  in  truth,  will  God  then  dwell  on  the  earth.  Behold,  the 
heavens  and  the  heavens  of  heavens  cannot  contain  thee ;  how  much 
less,  then,  this  house  that  I  have  built? 

28.  Yet  wilt  thou  turn  thy  regard  unto  the  prayer  of  thy  servant, 
and  to  his  supplication,  O  Lord,  my  God,  to  listen  unto  the  entreaty 
and  unto  the  prayer  which  thy  servant  prayeth  before  thee  to-day; 

29.  That  thy  eyes  may  be  open  toward  this  house  night  and 
day,  toward  the  place  of  which  thou  hast  said:  My  name  shall  be 
there;  that  thou  mayest  listen  unto  the  prayer  which  thy  servant 
shall  pray  at  this  place. 

30.  And  listen  thou  to  the  supplication  of  thy  servant,  and  of 


17 

thy  people  Israel,  which  they  will  pray  at  this  place;  and  oh,  do  thou 
hear  in  heaven,  thy  dwelling  place;  and  hear  and  forgive. 

31.  If  any  man  trespass  against  his  neighbor,  and  an  oath  be  laid 
upon  him  to  cause  him  to  swear,  and  the  oath  come  before  thy  altar, 
in  this  house: 

32.  Then  do  thou  hear  in  heaven,  and  act,  and  judge  thy  servants 
by  condemning  the  wicked,  to  bring  his  way  upon  his  head;  and  by 
justifying  the  righteous,  to  give  him  according  to  his  righteousness. 

33.  When  thy  people  Israel  are  struck  down  before  the  enemy, 
because  they  have  sinned  against  thee,  and  they  return  then  to  thee, 
and  confess  thy  name  and  pray,  and  make  supplication  unto  thee 
in  this  house. 

34 .  Then  do  thou  hear  in  heaven,  and  forgive  the  sin  of  thy  people 
Israel,  and  cause  them  to  return  unto  the  land  which  thou  hast  given 
unto  their  fathers. 

35.  When  the  heavens  be  shut  up,  and  there  be  no  rain,  because 
they  have  sinned  against  thee,  and  they  pray  toward  this  place,  and 
confess  thy  name,  and  turn  from  their  sin,  because  thou  hast  afflicted 
them: 

36.  Then  do  thou  hear  in  heaven,  and  forgive  the  sin  of  thy  serv- 
ants, and  of  thy  people  Israel;  for  thou  wilt  teach  them  the  good 
way  wherein  they  should  walk;  and  give  them  rain  upon  thy  land, 
which  thou  hast  given  to  thy  people  for  an  inheritance. 

37.  If  there  be  famine  in  the  land,  if  there  be  pestilence,  blasting , 
mildew,  or  if  there  be  locust,  caterpillar;  if  their  enemy  besiege  them 
in  the  land  in  their  gates;  at  whatsoever  plague,  whatsoever  sickness; 

38.  What  prayer  and  supplication  soever  be  made  by  any  man, 
of  all  thy  people  Israel,  when  they  shall  be  conscious  every  man  of 
the  plague  of  his  own  heart,  and  he  then  spread  forth  his  hands 
toward  this  house: 

39.  Then  do  thou  hear  in  heaven  the  place  of  thy  dwelling,  and 
forgive,  and  act,  and  give  to  every  man  in  accordance  with  all  his 
ways  as  thou  mayst  know  his  heart;  for  thou,  thyself  alone,  knowest 
the  heart  of  all  the  children  of  men; 

40.  In  order  that  they  may  fear  thee  all  the  days  that  they  live 
on  the  face  of  the  land  which  thou  hast  given  unto  our  fathers. 

41.  But  also  to  the  stranger,  who  is  not  of  thy  people  Israel, 
but  cometh  out  of  a  far-off  country,  for  the  sake  of  thy  name; 

42.  For  they  will  hear  of  thy  great  name,  and  of  thy  strong  hand 
and  of  thy  outstretched  arm;  when  he  will  come  and  pray  at  this 
house: 

43.  May  est  thou  listen  in  heaven  the  place  of  thy  dwelling  and 
do  according  to  all  that  the  stranger  will  call  on  thee  for;  in  order 
thai  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  may  know  thy  name,  to  fear  thee, 


18 

as  [do]  thy  people  Israel;  and  that  they  may  understand  that  this 
house,  which  I  have  built,  is  called  by  thy  name. 

44.  If  thy  people  go  out  to  battle  against  their  enemy  on  the  way 
on  which  thou  mayest  send  them,  and  they  do  pray  unto  the  Lord 
in  the  direction  of  the  city  which  thou  hast  chosen,  and  of  the  house 
that  I  have  built  for  thy  name: 

45.  Then  hear  thou  in  heaven  their  prayer  and  their  supplication, 
and  procure  them  justice. 

46.  If  they  sin  against  thee  (for  there  is  no  man  that  may  not 
sin),  and  thou  be  angry  with  them,  and  give  them  up  before  the 
enemy,  so  that  their  captors  carry  them  away  captive  unto  the  land 
of  the  enemy  [be  it]  far  or  near; 

47.  And  if  they,  then,  take  it  to  their  heart  in  the  land  whither 
they  may  have  been  carried  captive,  and  repent,  and  make  suppli- 
cation unto  thee  in  the  land  of  their  captors,  saying,  "We  have 
sinned,  and  have  commited  iniquity,  we  have  acted  wickedly;" 

48.  And  they  return  unto  thee  with  all  their  heart,  and  with  all 
their  soul,  in  the  land  of  their  enemies,  who  have  led  them  away 
captive,  and  they  pray  unto  thee  in  the  direction  of  their  land,  which 
thou  hast  given  unto  their  fathers,  of  the  city  which  thou  hast 
chosen  and  of  the  house  which  thou  hast  built  for  thy  name : 

49.  Then  hear  thou  in  heaven  the  place  of  thy  dwelling,  their 
prayer  and  their  supplication,  and  procure  them  justice: 

50.  And  forgive  thy  people  for  what  they  have  sinned  against 
thee,  and  all  their  transgressions,  whereby  they  have  transgressed 
against  thee,  and  cause  them  to  find  mercy  before  their  captors, 
that  they  may  have  mercy  on  them; 

51.  For  they  are  thy  people,  and  thy  heritage,  whom  thou  hast 
brought  forth  out  of  Egypt,  from  the  midst  of  the  iron  furnace; 

52.  That  thy  eyes  may  be  opened  unto  the  supplication  of  thy 
servants  and  unto  the  supplication  of  thy  people  Israel,  to  listen 
unto  them  in  all  for  which  they  call  unto  thee; 

53.  For  thou  hast  separated  them  unto  thee  as  a  heritage  from 
all  the  people  of  the  earth,  as  thou  spokest  by  the  hand  of  Moses, 
thy  servant,  when  thou  broughtest  forth  our  fathers  out  of  Egyp, 
O   Lord   Eternal. 

A  paragraph,  which  represents  a  most  holy  conviction, 
and  the  most  important  confession  of  Judaism,  and  of  the 
repetition  of  which  the  Israelite  never  tires,  forms  the 
introduction:  "Eternal,  God  of  Israel,  there  is  no  God 
like  thee  in  the  Heavens  above,  and  on  the  earth  beneath." 
The  Almighty  is  then  implored  to  grant  his  people — what? 


19 

Justice  for  the  guilty  as  well  as  for  the  innocent,  every  one 
according  to  his  doings.  Another  striking  sentence, 
equally  a  tenet  of  Israel,  and  equally  important,  follows: 
"If  thy  people  Israel  have  sinned  and  returned  to  thee, 
and  confess  thy  name,  and  pray  and  make  supplication 
unto  thee  in  this  house,  then  hear  thou  in  Heaven,  and 
pardon  the  sin  of  thy  people  Israel"  (verses  33,  34). 

But  not  only  of  Israel  is  the  king  mindful;  "Also  of  the 
stranger  who  is  not  of  thy  people  Israel,  who  Cometh  from 
far  lands,  for  thy  name's  sake — and  prays  in  this  house; 
hear  thou  in  Heaven,  the  place  of  thy  dwelling,  and  do 
everything  which  the  stranger  shall  ask  thee,  so  that 
all  people  on  earth  shall  know  thy  name  and  that  thy 
name  shall  be  called  over  this  house,  which  I  have  built. " 

The  fact  that  at  the  greatest  national  religious  event 
(verses  41,  43)  in  the  world's  records,  the  consecration  of 
the  Temple,  crowning  the  union  of  nations,  the  first  man 
of  the  land  before  the  people  assembled  should  especially 
include  the  stranger,  the  foreigner,  as  belonging  to  his 
people,  in  his  solemn  intercession,  and  that  he  should 
implore  for  him  the  same  mercy  as  for  himself  and  his 
co-religionists,  must  be  particularly  mentioned. 

This  incident  simply  belies  those  statements  that  refer 
to  the  prejudicial  and  inimical  Jewish  spirit  of  cxclusive- 
ness  where  Gentiles  are  concerned.  Even  if  the  historic 
exactness  of  this  episode  may  not  be  fully  credited,  we 
have  at  least  the  written  sentiment  which  guides  the  rule 
of  action,  and  the  moral  which  everyone  may  draw  there- 
from. 

This  prayer  is  remarkable  in  another  sense :  it  does  not 
mention  the  Sacrificial  service. 

The  fourth  chapter  of  the  Second  Book  of  Kings  con- 
tains the  appeal  of  Elisha.  The  wonderful  recitals  of 
this  chapter  are  most  interesting,  since  they  have  served 
as  the  prototypes  of  several  narratives  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament. 

Infinitely  more  important  is  Hezekiah's  entreaty  to  the 


20 

Eternal.  Of  king  Hezekiah,  the  Bible  simply  and  defi- 
nitely says:  "He  did  that  which  was  right  in  the  sight  of 
the  Lord."  He  has  bequeathed  us  an  invocation,  which 
is  incorporated,  almost  literally,  in  the  Jewish  ritual  of 
to-day. 

"O,  Eternal,  God  of  Israel,  who  dwelleth  between  the 
cherubim,  thou  art  the  true  God,  thou  alone,  for  all  the 
kingdoms  of  the  earth ;  for  it  is  thou  who  hast  created  the 
heavens  and  the  earth.  Incline,  O  Lord,  thine  ear, 
and  hear!  Open,  O  Eternal,  thine  eyes  and  see!"  (2d 
Kings  xix.,  15,  16). 

He  prays  for  protection  against  Sennacherib  and  his 
people;  "They  have  placed  their  gods  in  the  fire,  for 
they  are  no  gods,  but  works  of  human  hands,  wood  and 
stone.  .  .  And  now,  O  Eternal,  save  us,  I  beseech 
Thee,  out  of  his  hand!"  Why?  Why  does  the  Jewish 
King  implore  so  beseechingly  the  help  of  the  Eternal? 
"In  order  that  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  may  confess 
that  Thou  alone  art  the  Eternal  God!"  (verses  18,  19). 

A  continuation  of  Hezekiah 's  supplications  is  to  be 
found  in  the  Book  of  Isaiah.  His  first  prayer,  "O, 
Eternal,  who  dwelleth  between  the  cherubim,"  and  the 
prayer  repeated  when  healing  the  sick,  are  given  exactly 
as  in  the  Book  of  Kings,  but  the  3d  Chapter  of  Isaiah 
contains  a  written  prayer  of  Hezekiah,  which  breathes  a 
spirit  of  extreme  sadness.  It  is  a  poem  so  lofty  in  con- 
ception that  I  shall  quote  it  here:  (Isaiah  xxxviii.,  9-20). 

9.  The  writing  of  Hezekiah,  the  King  of  Judah,  when  he  had 
been  sick,  and  was  recovered  of  his  sickness: 

10.  I  had  said,  In  the  midst  of  my  days  must  I  enter  the  gates 
of  the  nether  world.     I  am  deprived  of  the  residue  of  my  years. 

11.  I  had  said,  I  shall  not  see  the  Lord,  in  the  land  of  the  living; 
I  shall  not  behold  man  any  more  among  the  inhabitants  of  the 
regions  of  death. 

12.  My  dwelling  is  broken  down,  and  is  removed  from  me  as  a 
shepherd's  tent;  I  have  cut  off,  like  a  weaver,  my  life;  with  pining 
sickness  will  he  snatch  me  away;  from  day  until  night  wilt  thou 
make  an  end  of  me. 

13.  I  waited  (with  patience)  till  morning  [whether],  as  a  lion, 


21 

so  would  he  break  all  my  bones;  from  day  until  night  wilt  thou  make 
an  end  of  me. 

14.  Like  a  swallow  or  a  crane,  so  did  I  chirp;  I  did  moan  like  a 
dove;  my  eyes  were  lifted  up  on  high.  0  Lord,  I  am  oppressed; 
grant  me  ease. 

15.  What  shall  I  speak?  He  hath  promised  it  unto  me,  and 
hath  also  accomplished  it.  I  will  make  pilgrimages  [to  God's  house] 
all  my  years  because  of  the  bitterness  of  my  soul. 

lii.  ()  Lord!  by  these  [things,  men]  will  live,  and  in  all  these 
[things]  is  the  life  of  my  spirit;  so  wilt  thou  give  me  health,  and 
cause  me  to  live. 

17.  Behold,  for  peace  I  had  great  bitterness,  but  thou  hast,  in 
loving  my  soul,  delivered  it  from  the  pit  of  corruption,  for  thou 
hast  cast  behind  thy  back  all  my  sins. 

18.  For  the  nether  world  will  not  thank  thee,  death  will  not 
praise  thee ;  they  that  go  down  into  the  pit  will  not  hope  for  thy  truth . 

19.  The  living,  the  living  alone,  shall  thank  thee,  like  me  this 
day:  the  father  to  the  children  shall  make  known  thy  truth. 

20.  The  Lord  is  there  to  help  me:  therefore  will  we  play  my 
hymns  all  the  days  of  our  life  in  the  house  of  the  Lord. 

In  the  twelfth  verse,  it  were  well  to  notice  the  uncom- 
monly poetical  comparison  between  the  human  being, 
flitting  hither  and  thither,  and  the  perishable  tent  of  the 
wandering  shepherd.  And  then,  again,  the  beauty  of  the 
phrase,  "I  have  cut  off,  like  a  weaver,  my  life;  from  day 
until  night  wilt  thou  make  an  end  of  me. ' '  One  can  hardly 
call  the  magnificent  invocation  of  the  prophets,  "  Prayer. " 

Let  us  proceed  to  the  book  of  Jeremiah.  The  twelfth 
chapter  begins  at  once  with  Jeremiah's  bold  question: 

1.  (Too)  righteous  art  thou.O  Lord,  that  I  could  plead  with  thee, 
yet  must  I  speak  of  (the  principles  of)  justice  with  thee:  Wherefore 
is  the  way  of  the  wicked  happy?  Do  all  those  prosper  that  deal 
treacherously? 

2.  Thouhast  planted  them;  they  have  also  taken  root;  they  grow; 
they  also  bring  forth  fruit;  thou  art  near  in  their  mouth  and  far  from 
their  mind. " 

And  now  the  request  with  all  the  energy  of  its  revolt- 
ing sadness. 

3.  .         .     .         Set  them  apart  like  sheep  for  the  slaughter. 

4.  How  long  shall  the  land  mourn,  and  the  herb  of  all  the  field 
wither?     Because  of  the  wickedness  of  those  that  dwell  therein  are 


22 

wholly  removed,  the  beasts  and  the  birds;  because  they  said:  He 
will  not  see  our  last  end. 

Although  this  "communing  with  God"  cannot  be  prop- 
erly called  "Prayer,"  nevertheless  whole  sentences  from 
these  parts  of  the  prophets  have  been  transplanted  word 
for  word  into  the  daily  devotions  of  the  Israelites ;  as,  for 
example,  the  inspiring  utterance  of  Hosea,  repeated  every 
morning  while  binding  the  Tephillin:  "I  will  betroth  thee 
unto  me  forever;  Yea,  I  will  betroth  thee  unto  me  in  right- 
eousness and  injustice,  and  in  loving  kindness,  and  in 
mercy;  and  I  will  betroth  thee  unto  me  in  faithfulness, 
and  thou  shalt  know  the  Lord"  (chap.  ii.  21-22). 

Equally  important,  are  the  words  of  Zechariah:  "And 
the  Eternal  shall  be  King  over  the  whole  earth.  On  that 
day  God  will  be  (acknowledged)  One,  and  his  name  be 
One"  (chap.  xiv.  9). 

Besides  to  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah,  both  Jews  and  Gentiles 
are  indebted  to  Ezekiel,  Habakkuk,  Joel,  Obadiah  and 
Micha,  for  their  sublime  meditations  and  incomparable 
expressions.  Where  can  we  find  a  more  liberal  and  altru- 
istic saying,  than  the  sentiment  uttered  by  Malachi: 
"Have  we  not  all  one  Father?  Hath  not  one  God  created 
us?  Then  why  shall  we  deal  treacherously,  every  man 
against  his  brother?  "  (chapter  ii.  10). 

The  prophets  all,  have  added  gems  of  thought  to  orna- 
ment the  daily  service. 

One  of  the  longest  prayers  finds  a  place  in  the  book  of 
Nehemiah. 

After  the  prophet's  brief  historic  reflection,  follows  a 
number  of  exclamations  of  a  self -accusing  nature  and 
then  the  final  entreaty  for  mercy  (Neh.  ix.  33) .  "  Thou  art 
righteous  in  all  that  is  come  over  us,  for  thou  hast  acted 
according  to  the  truth,  but  we  have  done  wickedly." 
Israel  frankly  confesses  that  by  reason  of  his  own  guilt  he 
has  brought  servitude  upon  himself  (verse  36).  "Behold 
we  are  this  day  servants,  and  the  land  which  thou  hast 
given  to  our  fathers,  to  eat  its  fruit  and  its  good  things, 


23 

behold  we  are  servants  in  it"  (verse  37).  "And  it 
yieldeth  its  products  in  abundance  for  the  kings,  whom 
thou  hast  set  over  us,  because  of  our  sins;  also  over  our 
bodies  have  they  dominion,  and  over  our  cattle  also,  at 
their  pleasure,  and  we  are  in  great  distress." 

A  remarkable  outburst  of  political  insight,  gained  at  last 
through  suffering! 

Who  does  not  call  to  mind  in  connection  with  the 
exclamation:  "The  king  whom  thou  hast  set  over  us 
because  of  our  sins,"  Samuel's  persuasive  admonition 
when  the  people  wanted  an  absolute  ruler?  Xow  had 
they  come  to  realize  this  questionable  good  fortune — and 
they,  the  stubborn  children  of  Israel,  cr  1  in  their 

trouble,  keeping  fasts  and  wearing  sackcloth! 

This  petition  of  the  distressed  people  is  the  last  pre- 
1  in  the  Bible.     The  invocations  of  Jesus  of  Xazareth 
do  not  belong  here,  although  Jesus,  when  he  prayed,  must 
have  felt  a  Jew  in  every  sense  of  the  word. 

But  through  disputes  and  differences,  the  traditions  of 
the  Xew  Testament  have  made  such  inroads  into  other- 
wise impartial  judgment,  that,  perhaps,  neither  Jew  nor 
Gentile  will  admire  my  silence  on  the  subject. 

In  conclusion,  I  would  add  a  general  remark: 

Prof.  Lazarus,  in  his  book:  "Treu  und  Frei"  (which 
merits  perusal  by  both  Jew  and  Christian)  sa.; 
Jews  have  always  been  the  classic  people  of  self-critk 
and  he  further  says :  ' '  This ,  our  propensity  for  self -accusa  - 
tion,  fosters  a  bitter  prejudice  against  us;  our  self-praise 
has  been  justly  blamed,  but  our  self-blame,  unjustly  con- 
demned. Often,  therefore,  the  opinion  is  rife  (as  with 
Goethe),  that  Jews  must  be  so  much  worse  than  other 
people,  because  their  prophets,  their  orators,  and  their 
leaders  have  always  rebuked  them  for  their  wickedness. 
It  may  be  that  our  faults  have  not  been  greater  than  other 
peoples',  our  condemnation  of  them,  however,  has  been 
more  severe. '  *  Verily,  it  must  be  so !  For  if  you  examine 
earnestly  and  sincerely  most  of  the  propitiator].-  prayers 


24 

in  the  Bible,  you  will  find  a  sharp  contrast  between  Israel's 
and  those  of  other  people,  who  are  used  to  beat  the  breasts 
not  without  a  certain  amount  of  self-conceit.  From  the 
paroxysms  of  howling  dervishes,  to  the  Catholic  confes- 
sional, which  latter  is  held  in  such  favor  by  the  female  sex 
because  it  is  apt  to  quiet  the  conscience,  the  modes  of  the 
avowal  of  guilt  are  varied.  Jewish  self -confession,  with- 
out humiliation,  is  not  to  be  thought  of;  the  Israelites' 
acknowledgment  of  sins  strips  every  palliating  cover  off 
the  soul,  and  pries  into  its  depths  with  rigor,  albeit  with 
sagacity.  God  is  implored  for  pardon  not  only  for  vital 
sins,  but  even  for  those  committed  without  our  knowledge 
— even  for  sins  in  passing  judgment  upon  others,  for  our 
hatred  without  cause,  and  for  our  sins  in  thought  only" 

A  most  fervent  avowal  of  sin,  which  has  been  incorpor- 
ated in  the  ritual  of  the  most  sacred  day  in  the  year — 
Yom  Kippur — taken  originally  from  sentences  scattered 
here  and  there  throughout  the  Bible,  ends  with  this  devout 
and  humble  petition:  "O,  may  it  be  thy  will,  O  Eternal, 
my  God,  and  God  of  my  fathers,  that  I  may  sin  no  more; 
and  as  to  the  sins  I  have  committed,  purge  them  away  in 
thine  abounding  compassion,  though  not  by  means  of 
affliction  and  sore  disease." 

How  strange!  ...  Is  the  Israelite  afraid  of  pain? 
Can  it  be  that  he  is  more  sensitive  than  the  numerous 
martyrs  of  other  beliefs,  who  for  the  so-called  "  Honor 
of  God"  castigated  and  even  mutilated  themselves?  In 
this  unassuming  expression,  over  which  perhaps  many 
pass  without  a  thought,  lies  hidden  a  wonderful  meaning. 
No ! — The  Jew  does  not  fear  pain  and  suffering ! — He  is 
accustomed  to  it, — but  he  fears  the  inability  to  serve  God. 
Because  suffering  and  sickness  would  prevent  him  from 
carrying  out  his  religious  duties,  therefore  he  fears  it; 
hence,  he  prays  to  God  thus  to  protect  him.  No 
flagellation  or  mutilation,  no  mangling  of  the  body 
fashioned  sound  and  whole  by  the  Creator!  On  the  con- 
trary, protection  against  bodily  suffering  is  asked  for,  so 


that  the  Israelite  shall  not  be  incapacitated  from  serving 
his  Creator  with  his  whole  power,  and  with  entire  devotion. 
In  this  Judaism  stands  in  peculiar  contrast  to  other  con- 
fessions. And  a  second  comparison  not  less  important 
and  valuable,  consists  in  this:  that  Judaism  docs  not 
throw  the  burden  of  its  sins  on  other  shoulders,  it  does 
not  let  the  innocent  expiate  the  actions  of  the  guilty;  it 
does  not  employ  substitutes  in  expiating  its  own  sins.  In 
Judaism  there  is  no  vicarious  atonement.  One's  own 
guilt — one's  punishment;  no  pardon  without  true  repent- 
ance, no  manner  of  justification  without  it  be  based  on 
justice. 


II.  PRAYER  IN  THE  TALMUD. 

The  prayers  of  Israel — those  recited  in  the  synagogue 
as  well  as  those  offered  in  private  life — are  nearly  all 
drawn  from  the  Talmud.  However,  the  Jewish  ritual 
with  the  history  of  its  creation,  laws  for  its  use,  and  in 
fact,  the  Halachic  view  of  the  prayers,  do  not,  for  the 
moment,  interest  us.  What  attracted  me  in  the  Hagga- 
dic  portion  of  the  liturgy,  and  what  I  there  found,  I  wish, 
briefly,  to  bring  to  your  notice.  I  cannot  conceive  why 
only  Talmudic  scholars  should  benefit  by  the  wealth  of 
all  that  is  beautiful  in  Rabbinical  literature !  Why  should 
not  we  laymen  refresh  ourselves  with  the  spiritual  food 
offered  by  the  rabbis?  Only  refresh  ourselves,  mark  you! 
I  do  not  want  to  be  "Massig  Gevul"  (a  trespasser  in 
another's  domain). 

Neither  can  I  give  a  chronologically-arranged  record 
of  Talmudic  prayers,  for  even  the  Talmud  does  not  con- 
tain it.  What  I  would  offer  is  only  a  glance  through  an 
almost  impenetrable,  tho'  beautiful  forest,  in  which 
thousands  upon  thousands  of  voices  sing  the  praise  of  the 
Creator. 

The  mode  of  expression  in  the  Talmud  differs  entirely 
from  that  of  the  Bible. 

Like  the  bubbling  fountain  mentioned  in  the  Scripture, 
sometimes  fresh,  often  bitter,  but  always  stimulating,  so 
the  Talmud  is  as  a  mountain  stream,  containing  a  cre- 
ative force,  which  seems  to  well  up  from  the  depths  of  a  con- 
secrated spirit,  and  with  ever  increasing  power  flowing 
from  the  hidden  depths,  circling  between  intervening 
heights,  carrying  with  it  its  manifold  waves,  and  bearing 
in  its  path  matter,  rough  and  tender,  vital  and  puerile. 
On  its  borders  lay  many  gems  of  the  most  varied  form  and 
hue.  Often  is  the  clear  sky  of  the  simple  Bible  interpreta- 
tion reflected  in  it;  often  it  appears  obscured  by  the 
impenetrable  forest  of  artificial  casuistry.  Not  many 
wanderers  in  these  regions  possess  the  art  of  disentangling 


27 

carefully  these  thickets,  so  that  a  glimpse  of  the  beyond 

may  be  obtained.  Neverthelesss,  over  the  whole  shines 
a  friendly  light  permeating  the  entire  moral  being  of  the 
few.  The  bearers  of  this  light  are  the  rabbis  of  the  Tal- 
mud. Very  often  they  were  men  of  modest  position  in 
life,  and  of  poor  origin.  For  not  only  the  professional 
rabbis  and  teachers  devoted  themselves  to  study;  almost 
every  thinking  man  studied  also.  Unlike  to-day,  they 
did  not  study  only  in  their  youth,  and  then  under  com- 
pulsion, their's  was  a  task,  to  which,  led  by  their  inward 
feelings,  they  involuntarily  attached  themselves.  To 
Think,  Learn  and  Teach,  appeared  to  the  assiduous 
Jewish  spirit  of  the  people,  their  principal  aim  of  life. 
I  do  not,  by  any  means,  refer  to  teachers  by  profession — 
but  to  men  who  lived  by  their  handiwork.  To  the  Jew- 
ish shoemaker  or  locksmith,  peasant  or  weaver,  shoes  and 
locks,  field  and  woof,  were  objects  in  the  handling  of 
which  a  livelihood  was  to  be  obtained, — as  physical  activ- 
ity was  a  divine  duty.  But  whilst  in  this  manual  exer- 
cise, the  thought  of  the  worker  was  in  the  realms  of  the 
"teacher,"  inasmuch  as  he  meditated  upon  things  divine 
and  moral — from  no  other  motive,  than  that  he  was  a  Jew. 

Most  of  the  rabbis,  whose  compositions  and  sayings  are 
found  in  the  Talmud  and  used  in  the  daily  prayers,  were 
artisans,  earning  their  bread  by  the  sweat  of  their  brow. 
But  they  were  not  prevented  thereby  from  acquiring 
knowledge,  and  from  possessing  widespread  reputation 
as  .scholars.  Other  nations  have  produced,  although  more 
rarely,  similar  characters;  for  instance,  Hans  Sachs,  the 
cobbler-poet  of  the  Reformation,  and  Jacob  Boehme, 
coupling  the  same  handicraft  with  more  than  an  ordinary 
knowledge  of  religious  philosophy.  The  trade  of  a  shoe- 
maker requiring  steady  and  domestic  habits,  was  looked 
upon  as  peculiarly  suited  for  study.  Under  all  circum- 
stances, we  seldom  meet  with  a  scientific  man  who  dis- 
rds  or  undervalues  manual  labor.  We  also  find  ordi- 
nary workmen  (those  having  no  aptitude  for  a  particular 


28 

branch  of  skilled  labor)  among  the  sages  of  the  Talmud, 
and  I  will  name  one,  of  whom  many  of  my  brethren-in- 
faith  may  have  heard,  and  who  was  at  the  same  time,  one 
of  the  noblest  and  most  amiable  of  men;  I  refer  to  the 
day-laborer,  Hillel.  He  is  said  to  have  been,  according 
to  a  very  doubtful  legend,  the  teacher  of  Jesus.  All  these 
men  taught  in  a  similar  manner,  both  as  to  transmitting 
what  they  had  learned,  and  in  expounding  their  own  doc- 
trines. The  process  seldom  changed.  The  pupils 
received  the  lesson  viva  voce  from  the  teacher.  Theories 
were  put  into  practice,  and  both  transmitted  to  posterity, 
the  former  by  precept,  the  latter  by  example.  All  dis- 
quisitions were  reduced  to  writing,  and  the  records  kept. 
Whether  the  pupil,  or,  in  due  course,  the  teacher  came  or 
went,  whether  he  worked  or  mused,  whether  he  was  alone 
or  in  company,  even  during  the  most  intimate  family 
intercourse,  never  did  he  neglect  to  further  his  teachings, 
nor  did  he  lose  sight  of  the  demands  of  decency  and  moral- 
ity in  connection  with  all  his  doings  in  life.  Doubts  arose 
often,  improvements  were  proposed,  innovations  carried 
out;  fiery  discussions  animated  the  mind  to  high  passion, 
but  there  was  always, — and  this  is  characteristic  of 
nearly  every  page  of  this  gigantic  work — a  union  in  the 
desire  to  act  uprightly  and  honestly,  "for  the  sake  of  the 
Divine  name" — leshem  shomayim. 

The  Talmudic  prayer  itself,  in  its  meaning  as  well  as  in  its 
treatment,  partakes  on  the  part  of  the  writers,  of  the  most 
minute  observation.  Nearly  all  of  the  more  prominent 
teachers  and  editors  of  the  Talmud  not  only  add  many 
explanations  to  the  Biblical  traditions,  but  also  make  com- 
ments thereon.  The  great  abundance  of  such  original 
remarks  and  commentaries  precludes  my  treatment  of 
them  in  detail.  I  shall,  however,  mention  a  few  of  the 
chief  thoughts  underlying  them.  Here  we  find  a  principle 
suited  to  all  times,  namely,  that  not  mere  theory  must  be 
sought  after,  but  practice  is  what  is  required.  (Pirke 
Aboth.)     The  disregard  of  this  brings  its  own  punish- 


29 

ment.  The  attention  to  forms,  without  participation  in 
the  spirit,  leads  to  indifference,  and  produces  only  that 
which  is  base  and  despicable.  It  is  in  this  soil  that  deceit 
and  perhaps  apostacy  will  nourish.  Therefore  the  Tal- 
mud allows  much  latitude,  and  permits  the  Israelite,  under 
certain  circumstances,  to  accommodate  himself  to  its  laws. 
During  the  course  of  many  centuries,  the  innovations  of 
numberless  teachers  of  the  Jewish  race  must  necessarily 
have  widely  differed  on  this  one  point;  however,  the  best 
of  them  agree  that  the  spiritual  surpasses  all  that  is  merely 
formal.  During  the  time  of  the  Middle  Ages  the  rabbis 
regarded  these  liberal  views  with  less  favor,  thereby 
allowing  their  ideas  to  run  parallel  with  the  dark  history 
of  that  time ;  because  of  this,  I  shall  not  dwell  further  on 
this  phase  of  the  subject. 

The  eminent  Joshua  ben  Chananya  earnestly  recom- 
mends the  shortening  of  several  of  the  longer  prayers,  in  the 
interest  of  religious  devotion.  Even  in  one  of  the  chief 
invocations  of  the  Jews,  the  "Shemone  Ess're"  (eighteen 
blessings),  he  introduced  a  single  sentence  embracing 
the  whole  contents.  He  also  wrote  the  following  short 
and  pointed  petition  for  one  undertaking  a  journey: 
"Assist,  Eternal,  thy  people,  the  remnant  of  Israel,  on  all 
the  paths  of  their  pilgrimage,  and  may  thy  providence 
bless  their  undertakings.  Praises  to  thee,  O  God,  who 
heareth  my  prayer!" 

Elieser  ben  Hyrkanos,  the  contemporary  of  Joshua  ben 
Chananya,  although  honestly  differing  with  him  on  many 
points,  says:  "Do  not  regard  thy  ]  grayer  as  a  formal  expres- 
sion, but  as  an  entreaty  to  God."  It  is  highly  interest- 
ing to  follow  Rabbi  Elieser  in  his  liberal  view  with  regard 
to  prescribed  prayers,  his  otherwise  strict  and  conservative 
system  notwithstanding.  He  resolved  to  teach  nothing 
but  what  he  had  learned  from  his  teachers.  In  his  time. 
Rabban  Gamliel  had  established  certain  formulas  for 
prayer,  as  well  as  laws  regulating  their  sequence,  the  like 
of  which  had  never  before  existed.      After  the  destruction 


30 

of  the  Temple,  a  regular  order  of  prayer  seems  to  have 
taken  the  place  of  the  sacrificial  and  hymnal  service. 
Elieser  objects  to  this,  because  tradition  knows  nothing 
of  formulae,  and  he  sets  up  the  principle  that  "Prayer 
comes  from  the  heart, "  and  therefore  cannot  be  made  the 
object  of  a  prescribed  law.  Also  in  the  much  discussed 
question  whether  one  should  first  glorify  God,  and  then 
pray  for  himself,  or  vice  versa,  the  opinions  of  Rabbi  Elieser 
and  Rabbi  Joshua  widely  differ.  Rabbi  Simlai,  on  the  other 
hand,  demands  that  the  praise  of  God  shall  precede  each 
and  every  petition,  and  thereby  imitates  Moses.  Rabbi 
Joshua  would  also  follow  Moses,  but  Rabbi  Elieser  is  of 
the  opinion  that  Moses  should  not  be  imitated,  for  the 
simple  reason  that  Moses  is  inimitable.  (Aboda  Zara  7b.) 
Although,  again  and  again  we  meet  with  diverse 
opinions  presented  with  great  weight  and  dignity,  all 
furnish  the  pleasant  impression  of  honest  search  for  truth, 
yet,  with  no  sign  of  a  claim  of  infallibility.  The  rabbi's 
opinion  is  given  without  hesitation,  and  without  personal 
feeling,  albeit,  the  opinion  of  an  adversary  may  prevail. 
In  exceptional  cases  a  claim  of  infallibility  has  appeared 
for  rabbis  are  only  mortals.  Such  claimants,  however, 
are  excommunicated.  Not  the  opinion  of  an  individual, 
but  the  consideration  for  the  commonwealth,  should  be 
predominant.  It  is  explicitly  stated  (Aboda  Zara  36a): 
"Only  such  ordinances  which  are  of  advantage  should  be 
carried  out  by  the  people,  and  such  rules  only  which  the 
requirements  of  public  life  have  created  should  be  ob- 
served. "  Qne  particular  sentence  even  goes  so  far  as  to 
say  " General  usage  in  Israel  is  law, "  and  again,  "Usage 
annuls  an  ordinance" — meaning  that  custom  makes  law. 
This  thought  is  even  more  clearly  expressed  in  the  words: 
"A  legal  order  should  only  be  enforced  if  the  majority  of 
the  community  be  not  injured  thereby."  (Baba  Kama 
79b.)  If  anyone  is  active  in  the  interests  of  an  entire 
community,  he  is  accounted  as  if  engaged  in  religious  work, 
and  is  therefore  exempt  from  observing  any  ceremonial 


31 

law  that  may  interfere  with  his  public  labor.  (Sanhe- 
drin  44a).  To  such  men,  as  officers  of  the  court,  elders 
of  the  congregations,  in  short,  to  all  engaged  in  public 
affairs  a  limitation  of  their  prayers  is  not  only  permitted 
but  commanded,  because  a  movement  of  which  the  com- 
monwealth is  the  beneficiary,  is  more  important  than 
prayer.  The  copyist  of  holy  writings  (Sofer)  for  example, 
could  dispense  with  the  recitation  of  the  "Sh'ma, "  and 
all  other  prayers,  so  long  as  he  was  engaged  in  his  edify- 
ing work.  Thus  the  followers  of  every  educational  and 
elevating  occupation,  were  exempt  from  the  regulation 
ceremonies  and  from  duties  of  a  merely  formal  nature — 
even  those  who  dealt  in  books,  or  worked  in  any  manner 
for  the  interest  of  religion  and  morality  (Maimonides 
Hilchoth  Mamrim  2,  5).  It  is,  indeed,  refreshing  to 
observe  how  little  the  Talmud  limits  the  liberty  of  con- 
science!— Hil  el  and  his  pupils  taught  that  the  "Sh'ma" 
may  be  said  while  standing,  lying  down,  sitting  during 
work,  on  a  journey,  etc.  Time  and  circumstance  were 
quite  a  factor.  Rabbi  Jose  objects,  however,  to  saying 
it  in  a  subdued  voice,  while  another  admits  of  it,  and 
allows  even,  the  omitting,  or  the  changing  of  words.  In 
the  latter  case  one  must  start  again  from  the  beginning; 
while  yet  another  is  satisfied  to  re-commence  where  the 
mistake  is  made.  In  short,  there  was  to  be  no  dispute 
about  the  letter  of  the  law. 

Therefore  a  newly  married  person  is  exempt  for  the  first 
three  days  after  matrimony,  from  the  duty  of  regular 
prayer,  "since  he  will  hardly  be  in  a  state  of  mind  for  wor- 
ship"— a  beautiful,  although  quaint  illustration.  It 
marks  the  only  true  and  sincere  regard  for  prayer  which 
should  exist  to-day  and  forever!  He  who  prays  to  God, 
should  be  wholly  at  one  with  Him.  Hence,  not  he  who 
prays  the  least  is  irreligious,  but  he  who  prays  without 
devotion. 

Great  value  is  placed  upon  the  necessity  of  prayer.  Of 
such  that  had  a  synagogue  in  a  village,  and  did  not  attend 


32 

it,  Resch  Lakisch  applied  the  saying,  " Behold!  I  will  pluck 
them  out  of  their  land,  and  the  house  of  Judah  will  I  pluck 
out  from  the  midst  of  them."  (Jer.  12,  14.)  Rabbi 
Aba  Benjamin  says:  "When  two  pray  in  the  same  house, 
and  one  on  leaving  it  does  not  wait  for  the  other,  the 
prayer  of  such  will  be  of  no  avail;"  meaning  the  prayer 
was  valueless,  for  there  lacked  human  love  in  the  breast 
of  the  one  who  hurried  away.  "He  who  leaves  the  house 
of  prayer,  should  not  take  long  strides"  is  the  dictum  of 
Rabbi  Abaya,  "but  when  going  to  synagogue,  it  is  your 
duty  to  go  quickly."  Some  rabbis  look  upon  prayer  as 
prolonging  human  life.  Nearly  all  Talmudic  sayings  are 
so  deeply  symbolic  that  one  gradually  accustoms  himself 
to  look  below  the  surface,  and  thereby  is  educated  to 
reflect  profoundly.  What  has  just  been  said  concerning 
the  prolongation  of  life  may  be  found  to  contain  a  sub- 
stratum of  satire,  but  close  investigation  will  reveal  its 
truth.  The  pious  lives  more  modestly  than  the  frivolous. 
He  cherishes  his  trust  in  God  and  resists,  with  much  more 
ease,  all  life's  enemies.  Strength,  joyfulness  and  moder- 
ation in  all  things,  preserve  existence. 

As  Jews  became  scattered  throughout  the  world,  theri 
schools  in  Palestine  became  diminished,  and  teachers  as 
well  as  pupils  emigrated  to  Babylonia,  Syria,  Greece, 
Italy  and  Spain  Hence,  influenced  by  local  customs 
and  circumstances,  changes  and  improvements  in  the  man- 
ner of  worship,  and  even  in  prayer  itself,  began  to  appear. 
The  different  climates  and  modes  of  living,  created  diverse 
requirements,  and  alterations  were  made  accordingly. 
For  example,  the  ritual  laws  in  regard  to  eating  were  set 
aside  by  later  rabbis  who  proclaimed  that  everything  is 
to  be  regulated  according  to  locality  and  time,  and  that 
the  older  laws  made  for  other  countries  were  no  more  in 
force.  In  Tractate Berachoth,  we  find :  "The  rabbis  taught 
that  such  men  who  are  threatened  by  wild  beasts,  robbers, 
or  by  danger  of  any  kind,  or  those  who  prepare  for  a  jour- 
ney, or  who  arc  enfeebled  by  illness,  may  say    a  short 


33 

prayer"  (instead  of  that  regularly  i ^escribed) .     Among 
innumerable  petitions,   I  have  found  none,  except  one 
seemingly  humorous  request,  for  the  granting  of  physical 
favors.     Only  during  times  of  distress,  or  natural  catas- 
trophes, the  protection  of  Jehovah  is  entreated,  but  never 
for  the  individual,  always  for  the  whole  community.     The 
people  that  suffers  as  a  whole,  shall  be  prayed  for  as  a 
whole.     This  i     the  touchstone  of  Jewish  supplication. 
An  illustratioi    of  this  is    given    in    Tractate    Taanith. 
Ouite  frequently  the  Romans  stipulated  that  the  Israelites 
should  not  wear  signs  for  the  purpose  of  recognizing  one 
another,  that  they  should  neglect  their  Sabbath  and  pay 
no  attention  to  the  Torah.     Jehuda  ben    Shamua    and 
his  friends  went  to  a  matron  for  instruction  how  to  avoid 
all  this.     She  said:  "Place  yourselves  on  the  streets  at 
night  time,  and  cry  to  God."     They  did  so.     Lifting  up 
their  voices  in  prayer,  they  said:  "Oh,  Eternal!     Are  we 
not  brethren,  are  we  not  sons  of  one  father?     Are  we  not 
children  of  oae  mother?     Why  are  we    separated  from 
other  nations  and  such  a  fate  destined  for  us?"     Their 
lamentations  must  have  touched  the  hearts  of  the  officers 
of  the  government,  for  we  read  that  "the  much-condemned 
restrictions  were  withdrawn."     In  remembrance  thereof 
the  28th  of  Adar  was  set  aside  as  a  festival. 

The  commands  of  the  Rabbis  as  to  the  time  when 
prayer  should  not  be  said,  are  clear  and  to  the  point. 
Never  when  absentminded,  nor  in  a  frivolous  mood,  nor 
during  a  conversation  or  an  entertainment,  nor  even 
while  in  pain  (Berachoth  31a).  "Not  while  in  pain"— 
this  may  seem  strange  to  men  of  modern  times,  especially 
to  non-Jews,  for  we  are  so  accustomed  to  resort  to  prayer 
in  times  of  adversity  and  distress.  The  Talmudic  con- 
ception, condemning  selfishness,  allows  prayer  only  for 
general  welfare,  but  commands  praise  and  gratitude  to 
God  at  all  hours,  not  for  bad  times  only.  A  clear  mind  is 
essential  to  prayer     .     .     .     such  would  be  impossible 


34 

during  pain,  and  therefore  we  should  not  pray  when  under- 
going physical  suffering. 

Unnecessary  exaltation  in  prayer  is  also  objectionable. 
Rabbi  Chanina  once  interrupted  a  worshiper,  who  invoked 
God  as  the  Great,  the  Strong,  the  Mighty,  the  Powerful, 
over  and  over  again,  and  sarcastically  asked  him :  "Have 
you  enumerated  all  the  qualities  of  the  Eternal?  If  the 
owner  of  many  thousands  of  gold  coins  were  praised  for 
the  possession  of  one  thousand  silver  coins,  would  it  not 
be  next  to  an  insult?  God's  greatness  cannot  be  thus 
estimated."  The  Talmud  of  Jerusalem  quotes  an  excel- 
lent anecdote  of  Rabbi  Chanina.  While  he  was  praying, 
an  arad  (possibly  a  species  of  watersnake),  approached 
him.  He  paid  no  attention,  and  was,  consequently, 
bitten.  Now  it  happened  that  the  wound  did  not  prove 
dangerous  to  the  man,  but  the  snake  died.  This  gave 
rise  to  the  bon  mot:  "Woe  to  the  man  who  meets  an  arad, 
but  woe  to  an  arad  that  meets  with  a  Rabb  Chanina" 
(Berachoth  33a).  Even  when  a  king  discovers  us  in  prayer, 
we  should  not  countenance  an  interruption.  Once  a  prince 
saluted  a  worshiper  while  at  his  devotions,  and  felt 
greatly  insulted  at  not  receiving  recognition.  The  pious 
man  subsequently  asked  the  prince  if  he  would  have 
replied  to  the  salutation  of  a  passing  friend  while  in  con- 
versation with  his  king.  This  question  being  answered 
in  the  negative,  he  continued:  "Can  you  not  draw  a  con- 
clusion from  this?  If  you  would  not  suffer  yourself  to  be 
disturbed  when  standing  before  a  king  of  flesh  and  blood, 
with  no  fixed  residence,  one  that  might  be  well  to-day, 
but  dead  to-morrow,  much  less  would  I  when  standing 
before  the  King  of  all  kings,  the  most  Holy  One,  blessed 
be  He,  who  reigns  now,  and  will  exist  to  all  eternity!" 

I  have  said  that  one  should  not  pray  while  in  a  jesting 
mood,  nor  while  in  pain.  In  conformity  with  the  Halacha 
should  our  orisons  be  offered.  The  meaning  of  Halacha 
is   denned   in    the   most   beautiful   language   by   Heine. 


35 

Refering  to  the  boyhood  of  Jehudah  Halcvi  (Hebrew  Mel- 
odies*), he  says 

Yes,  full  early  did  his  father 
Lead  him  onward  to  the  Talmud, 
And  he  then  unfolded  to  him 
The  Halacha,  that  illustrious 

Fighting  school,  where  the  expertest 
Dialectic  athletes,  both  of 
Babylon  and  Pumbeditha, 
Carry  on  the  mental  combats. 

Here  the  boy  could  gain  instruction 
In  the  arts,  too,  of  polemics; 
Later,  in  the  book  Cosari, 
Was  his  mastership  established. 

Yet  the  heavens  pour  down  upon  us 
Lights  of  two  distinct  descriptions — 
Glaring  daylight  of  the  sun, 
And  the  moonlight's  softer  luster. 

Thus  two  different  lights  the  Talmud 
Also  sheds,  and  is  divided 
In  Halacha  and  Hagada     .         ... 
Now,  the  first's  a  fighting  school; 

But  the  latter,  the  Hagada, 
I  should  rather  call  a  garden         .... 
And  the  youthful  Talmud  scholar, 
When  his  heart  was  overpower'd. 

And  was  deafened  by  the  squabbles 

Of  the  Halacha,  by  disputes 

All  about  the  fatal  egg 

Laid  one  feast-day  by  a  pullet ; 

Or  about  some  other  question 
Of  the  same  importance,  straightway 
Fled  the  boy  to  find  refreshment 
In  the  Blossoming  Hagada, 

Where  the  charming  olden  stories, 
Tales  of  angels,  famous  legends, 
Silent  histories  of  martyrs, 
Festal  songs,  and  words  of  wisdom. 


*  Bowring's  version. 


36 

Hyperboles,  far-fetch'd  it  may  be, 
But  impress'd  with  deep  conviction, 
Full  of  glowing  faith — all  glitter'd, 
Bloom'd,  and  sprung  in  such  abundance. 

And  the  stripling's  noble  bosom 
Was  pervaded  by  the  savage 
But  adventure-breathing  sweetness, 
By  the  wonderous  blissful  anguish 

And  the  fabulous  wild  terrors 
Of  that  blissful  secret  world, 
Of  that  mighty  revelation, 
Known  to  us  as  Poesy. 

"How  many  excellent  Halachas  (rules  of  ritual  tuition) 
might  be  taken  from  the  expressions  in  the  prayer  offered 
by  Hannah?"  says  Rabbi  Hamnuna.  In  the  first  book 
of  Samuel  (chapter  i.)  we  find:  "And  Hannah  spoke  from 
her  heart, "  which  clearly  shows  that  the  worshiper  should 
attune  his  heart,  that  is  to  say,  his  mind,  to  devotion. 
Further:  "Only  her  lips  moved,"  consequently,  loud 
speech  is  not  required,  and  again:  "And  Eli  regarded  her 
as  a  drunken  woman,  "which  implies  that  persons  shall  not 
pray  when  intoxicated;  and  later:  "Eli  said  to  her:  'How 
long  wilt  thou  be  drunken?'"  which  seems  to  tell  us  to 
correct  our  companions  when  their  behavior  provokes 
criticism.  And  such  hair-splitting  "Halachas"  we  find 
in  the  Talmud  by  the  thousand. 

With  regard  to  the  proper  or  improper  mode  of  praying, 
there  are  a  great  many  excellent  remarks.  When  Elieser 
asked  the  Lord  for  a  sign  in  the  selection  of  a  bride  for  the 
son  of  his  master,  the  Rabbis  hold  that  his  action  was 
well-timed,  and  give,  as  a  proof  of  this,  that  his  wishes 
were  fulfilled.  On  the  other  hand,  the  prayer  of  Jephtah 
was  not  a  proper  one,  and  in  consequence  thereof,  he  was 
punished,  in  the  sacrifice  of  his  only  child.  A  petition 
should  not  be  offered  in  reference  to  matters  that  cannot 
be  changed.  The  blessings  of  prayer  become  apparent 
in  such  things,  only,  that  can  neither  be  weighed  nor 
measured,  neither  be  counted  nor  calculated  upon,  and 


37 

which  are  otherwise  hidden  from  the  human  eye.  How 
profitable  it  is  to  reflect  on  such  claims  or  pretensions. 
The  first  and  foremost  of  the  general  necessities  for  which 
prayer  is  offered,  especially  in  Southern  countries,  is  rain. 
Scarcity  of  rain  (serious  enough  in  itself) ,  has  sometimes 
furnished  humorous  situations.  We  read  in  Tractate 
Taanith  (19a),  the  following  legend:  "Some  one  said 
to  Choni,  'pray  for  us  that  rain  may  fall.'  He  did 
so,  but  rain  came  not.  What  did  he  then  do?  He  traced 
a  circle,  in  the  centre  of  which  he  stood  and  exclaimed: 
'  Lord  of  the  Universe !  Thy  children  have  cast  their  eyes 
upon  me,  being  a  son  of  thy  house.  I  therefore  take  a 
solemn  vow  not  to  move  away  from  this  spot,  until  thou 
hast  shown  mercy  upon  thy  children. '  Rain  then  began 
to  drop.  His  pupils  said:  'Rabbi,  it  seems  to  us  that  this 
rain  is  only  enough  to  deliver  you  from  your  vow. '  Then 
the  Rabbi  further  prayed:  'Not  for  such  a  rain  did  I  ask, 
O  Lord,  but  for  one  sufficient  to  fill  cisterns  and  wells.' 
At  this,  the  water  poured  down  in  such  torrents,  that  the 
pupils  were  frightened.  They  cried  out:  'It  appears  to 
us  that  everything  will  perish.'  Again  the  Rabbi  exclaim- 
ed: '  Such  rain  I  have  not  prayed  or,  O  Lord,  but  for  one 
more  moderate  and  fertilizing.'  Then  it  rained  in  the 
usual  way,  and  after  a  sufficient  fall,  the  wind  arose  and 
dispersed  the  clouds,  the  sun  reappeared,  and  all  the  peo- 
ple went  out  to  inspect  the  fields.  Wonderful  to  relate, 
all  around  the  mount  of  the  Temple,  the  ground  was  cov- 
ered with  morels  and  truffles. "     (Quick  sprouting  edibles.) 

The  grandson  of  Choni  was  afterwards  requested  to 
pray  for  rain.  This  time  school-children  surrounded  him, 
touching  the  edge  of  his  mantle  and  crying:  "Father, 
father!  give  us  rain!"  He  prayed  to  God:  "Lord  of  the 
Universe!  do  it  for  the  sake  of  these  children  who  cannot 
discriminate  between  the  Father  that  can  give  rain,  and 
the  Father  that  cannot  g'vc  rain." 

The  following  story  has  quite  a  touch  of  satire.  "  Rabbi 
Chanina  ben  Dosa  was  on  the  road,  when  suddenl  rainy 


38 

began  to  fall.  'God,  my  Lord'  said  he,  'all  the  world  is 
now  gladdened,  and  comforted,  only  Rabbi  Chanina  is  in 
trouble. '  It  thereupon  ceased  to  rain.  After  having 
arrived  home  he  said  'Oh  Lord!  Rabbi  Chanina  is  now 
comforted,  but  the  balance  of  the  world  is  in  trouble  again.' 
.     .     .     .     It  then  re-commenced  to  rain.1' 

In  such  manner  the  Talmud  combines  the  serious  and 
the  humorous,  yet  a  moral  principle  is  always  underlying. 
A  little  fable  seems  to  show  that  one  might  be  grateful  even 
for  evil  omens.  "Once  on  a  journey,  Rabbi  Akiba  arrived 
at  a  city  and  asked  for  lodging,  which  was  refused  him. 
He  said:  "Whatever  the  Lord  wills,  is  good. "  He  went 
to  camp  out  on  a  plain,  having  with  him  a  cock,  an  ass 
and  a  candle.  A  wind  arose  and  blew  out  the  light,  a  cat 
came  and  stole  the  cock,  and  a  lion  came  and  devoured  the 
ass.  The  Rabbi  said:  ' Everything  that  the  all-merciful 
wills,  is  good.'  During  the  same  night,  brigands  entered 
the  city,  and  captured  its  inhabitants.  Rabbi  Akiba  said: 
'  Did  I  not  say  that  everything  that  the  Most  Holy  does, 
is  well  done. '  A  burning  light  might  have  revealed  my 
whereabouts;  it  was  well  that  the  cock  could  crow  no 
more,  and  it  was  also  well  that  the  ass  perished  as  the 
lion's  hunger  was  appeased.     So  Rabbi  Akiba  was  saved." 

The  same  Akiba  died  a  martyr  to  a  horrible  death.  He 
did  not  fall  into  the  clutches  of  a  lion,  but  in  the  hands  of 
beasts  belonging  to  the  human  race.  It  was  the  hour  of 
saying  the  'Sh'ma,'  and  he  repeated  the  praver  during  the 
torture  he  was  undergoing :  "Hear  O !  Israel,  the  Eternal, 
our  God,  the  Eternal  is  One.  Praised  be  the  name  of 
the  glory  of  His  kingdom  for  ever  and  ever.  And  thou 
shalt  love  the  Eternal,  thy  God,  with  all  thy  heart,  and 
with  all  thy  soul "Enough,  enough,"  ex- 
claimed his  followers;  he  replied,  "During  the  time  of  my 
whole  life  I  was  troubled  about  the  sentence,"  with  all  thy 
soul,"  which  means,  even  if  your  soul  is  taken  from  you. 
I  have  often  thought,  "will  I  ever  have  the  opportunity 
to  fulfill  this  part  of  the  phrase,  and  now  that   oppor- 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACIUTY 


AA    000  827  324    5 

tunity  offers,  shall  I  nor,  discharge  my  duty?"  His  lips 
lovingly  rested  on  the  word  Echod  (One),  until  his  soul 
took  flight. 

It  would  be  hardly  practicable  to  enter  into  further 
detail  regarding  the  traditional  doctrines  and  prayers  of 
the  differcnl  Talmudists;  but  two  expressions  deserve 
•    ■  i  T        first   is    an    exclamation    of    gratitude    by 

Nechunya  bar  Ilakkana,  "I  thank  thee,  my  God,  and 
the  God  of  my  fathers,  that  Thou  hast  so  cast  my  lot  in 
life  as  to  enable  me  to  attend  the  House  of  Worship,  and 
that  I  be  not  among  those  that  frequent  the  theatre  or 
circus.  True!  I  labor  hard,  so  do  they  also;  I  have  per- 
severance, so  have' they,  but  I  labor  to  prepare  myself 
for  the  future  world,  while  they  do  not."  The  second, 
is  taken  from  Alar  Rabina,  and  the  idea  has  been  embodied 
in  the  following  words,  in  the  daily  devotions  of  the  Jews: 
Before  my  abusers,  my  soul  remains  silent, "  an  expression 
at  once  humble  and  dignified,  partaking  equally  of  solemn 
simplicity  and  true  greatness.  These,  and  similar  strains, 
the  devout  Jew  pronounces  daily,  often  not  inquiring 
where  they  originated.  And  yet  ...  I  think  that 
he  should  ask  the  question,  at  least  he  should  know 
of  the  men  whose  thoughts  and  words  are  repeated  in  his 
own  prayers.  It  seems  but  a  tribute  of  gratitude  due  to 
their  memory. 

Translations  of  the  Talmud,  and  of  the  Midrashim — 
to  borrow  the  admirable  words  of  Prof.  August  Wuensche 
— enable  even  the  layman  to  become  acquainted  with 
the  creations  and  accomplishments  of  the  rabbis.  He 
discovers  therein  a  rich  mine  of  knowledge,  temporal,  as 
well  as  spiritual,  a  treasury  of  practical  doctrines,  which 
often  seem  to  refer  to  our  modern  life. 
I  A  mere  examination  of  this  collection  of  wisdom, 
embracing  a  period  of  over  two  thousand  years,  would 
not  suffice.  One,  however,  who  regards  this  work  as 
he  would  look  upon  a  venerable  friend,  or  a. beloved  com- 
panion, will  derive  great  benefit  from  the  contact.     He 

4r 


40 

will  unwittingly  sharpen  his  power  of  judgment,  and 
improve  his  literary  taste  to  such  an  extent,  that  other 
reading  matter  will  appear  trivial  and  commonplace. 
Is  there  not  great  profit  even  in  this? 

To  the  modern  reader,  many  things  will  look  strange 
at  first.  For  instance,  the  frequent  incarnation  of  the 
Supreme  Being.  Yet  such  personification  shows  how 
close1y  and  naturally  the  Israelites  had  interwoven  their 
whole  life,  with  the  thought  of  God.  It  was  impossible 
that  their  sentiments  could  be  always  applied  to  the  spirit- 
ual exclusively,  yet  as  they  desired  to  be  hourly  near 
their  Creator,  they  thought  of  him  as  having  human  fea- 
tures. 

The  idea  that  neglect  of  divine  worship,  which,  of  course, 
includes  moral  action,  would  impoverish  God,  is  very 
peculiar.  It  was  believed  that  the  more  the  children  of 
God  exerted  themselves  in  the  accumulation  of  a  treasury 
of  good  deeds,  the  more  would  blessings  be  showered  up- 
on them  from  above.  Only  a  people  that  love  the  Creator 
with  such  child-like  and  unbounded  fervor,  could  attempt  so 
hazardous  a  supposition,  according  to  which  God  and 
earthly  desire  intermingle,  even  as  the  sky  seems  to  b'end 
with  the  highest  earthly  summit.  To  embrace  fully  the 
meaning  of  this,  is  left  to  the  philosopher  in  his  most 
studious  moments.  For  ourselves,  we  must  be  content  to 
look  upon  the  elevating  thought, — that  God,  Himself,  is 
the  poorer  by  the  lack  of  morals  on  the  part  of  His  wor- 
shipers— with  admiration,  albeit,  with  apprehension.  At 
any  rate,  we  may  consider  the  other  side;  God  may  be 
enriched  through  the  efforts  of  his  children.  Let  me 
admonish  you — you  particularly,  my  sisters — to  endeavor 
to  enrich  God  by  your  good  deeds,  by  your  own  perfection ! 


